The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-01-12
CHAPTER XIX.


OF course, SO soon as alone regretted bit
terly my manner at parting toward Blanche,
and spent large portion Of the night in
imaginary interviews with her, In which I
acted more nationally and smoothed over all
my roughness resolved to see her as early
as possible next day and acknowledge to her
my error But the doors Of our tomorrow
are not always those of our to-days, and may
open on far different scenes and events on
which or In which, despite all our effort or
inclination, we must either gaze or partici-
pate.
Broenar arrived early that morning 1
knew that q surprise was In store for him
and wondered how he would take it. knew
that he had been disappointed at not finding
Blanche at Marysville, and least of all ex-
pected to find her at Bull Bar. He showed
no signs of chagrin, however. This was
characteristic of him. 1t was his philosophy
that care, vexation, trouble of any sort or
from any cause, were all foes to be fought off
and beaten off as speedily as possible. "The
actual event" he said twas quite enough All
dwelling in thought upon it afterward was in
substance recreation and repetition Of 1t.
Switch the mind off on some other track and
put the trouble out Of sight 1t can be done
by training"
OF Blanche's presence said nothing He
would visit Pratt and find out for himself.
Concerning my capture and the events Of
the night told him in the briefest possible
terms. OF the mau' - Of my release said
simply, ~ got awng,' That left large
field for conjecture He saw that preferred
to remain reticent and did not question me.
Uncertain as were our social relations toward
each other we had reached that fortunate
condition where each knew to hairs
breadth where the other desired to stop at
self-revelations, and acted accordingly.
Soon after breakfast he went over to
Pratt's. Despite my misery l was half
amused at thought thus shaping itself:
swell, the drama progresses. l wonder
/; what figure will be disclosed by the next
turn of the kaleidoscope" l had uncon-
sciously absorbed something of Broener's
philosophy. mo matter what happened" +"
he said, "a man who had brain enough could
always find something Of interest in noting
that no two Of life's pictures were exactly
alike, and that, as regards incident, event or
situation, every day for such man had some
new shade of color"
He returned in about half an hour, sat
down awhile, pared his nails carefully, and
finally remarked: "This world is all fleet
ing show; but, nevertheless, a very interest
ing one. wonder which way the cat will
onous 1t would be if the cat jumped the same
way every time"
could hot help laughing in spite of all
"Yes," he said, as if in reply to remark of
mine, ~ agree with you, Holder Out of the
nettle trouble we will find flowers of resrea-
tion, if not OF resignation"
wondered for whom he meant the term
| resignation" The man had sometimes two
and even three meanings for some of his sen.
| tences, which 1t might take days, even weeks,
| to make out
"How is Prattr asked
"To the ordinary beef-eating mind of Bull
Bar he replied, ''the professional pill-ped-
der who practices the solemn scientific over
him included, he is no better. To one like
myself, few degrees higher than they in the
plane of intelligent animal development, he
will eventually mend and recover the small
fragment of mind vouchsafed him by-well,
the Infinite; oh, woman, in her hours of
ease, etc"
A horseman rode up to the cabin door and
called out; ''Does John Holder live herei'
81 am John Holder" replied, coming out
This was deputy sheriff with a warrant
for my arrest on charge of assault with in
tent to kill Jedediah Pratt
I gave myself up and asked of the officer
as a favor that he would make no parade of
| me as his prisoner on the Bar. | desired
above all things not to make any semi-dram-
attic departure in this situation before
Blanche, or give her any notice of it what
ever. ~ have friends" said to him, ''liv-
ing near by, and l don't wish they should
| see me-"
II will be responsible for Mr.. Holder" said
Broener.
"All right" said the deputy. "You want
| to get away quietly, know. I'll wait for
you up yonder where the trail turns up the
mountain"
II viii go with you and give bail for your
appearance" said Broener.
"No," said; s'Im going to JAIL"
II wouldn't do that" he replied. First,
there isn't the least necessity for it. Second,
1t will hurt your case. Appearances go a
long way here, and to go to Jail is to put
yourself in the position before the community
of man without money and without friends v
"Well,n asked, 'what matters that SC
long as l am innocentf
sit matters great DEAL" he answered
from the point of view that law is dealt out
here-or elsewhere. Plate sin with oro,' you
know, and the lance of justice harmless
breaks. Clothe it in rags, a pigmy's straw
doth pierce it How William s. did write
for posterity, with big Pl Come, Holder,
don't make what's hard any harder than il
need be"
1t was not SO easy now to resist him as
had imagined There was shade of tender
| ness and feeling in his tones, and in his look
also. Some change had come over him.